BoardGameArchiveErune: Echoes of Hollow Woods
New adventures in the app-driven fantasy dungeon crawler. Compare Gamefound pledges, Ultimate Edition choices and the latest delivery estimate.
Expansion add-on €54. January 2028 fulfillment estimate—not a retail date.
What is Erune: Echoes of Hollow Woods?
Echoes of Hollow Woods is a new expansion for Erune, Arkada Studio’s hybrid fantasy dungeon crawler. The original game combines a physical board, miniatures, player choices and a companion app that handles narration, music, events and campaign saving. The publisher’s November 2026 Gamefound campaign funds new adventures, characters and mechanics in the Hollow Woods setting, alongside a reprint for newcomers.
Erune supports 1–5 players, including solo play and an optional human Master of Shadows who controls opposition. The campaign describes sessions of roughly 60 minutes, though adventures and group size affect timing.
Important purchasing distinction: Echoes of Hollow Woods is not a standalone game. Existing Erune owners can buy the expansion on its own, while new players need the base game or a pledge that includes it.
Echoes of Hollow Woods release date tracker
The campaign launched in early November 2026, but shipping comes later. The date shown for delivery is an estimate rather than a promise that all language editions or countries will receive the box that month.
| Milestone | Date / status | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Gamefound campaign opens | 3 November 2026 | Confirmed campaign launch coverage |
| Scheduled Gamefound close | 23 November 2026 | Current campaign schedule |
| Backer fulfillment estimate | January 2028 | Reported campaign estimate, not guaranteed |
| Exact retail release date | Not announced | Unknown |
| Additional language editions | Not planned for campaign | English and French only confirmed |
| First-edition Update Packs | End of November 2026 target | Publisher FAQ; separate from expansion delivery |
Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. Next editorial check: 24 November 2026, after the planned campaign close, followed by confirmed pledge-manager and production announcements. Update the dates on this existing page once actual shipping and retail evidence is available.
What does Echoes of Hollow Woods add?
Arkada Studio describes new adventures, miniatures, environments and mechanics that take Erune parties beyond familiar territory into the Hollow Woods. The campaign also includes additional items, and stretch goals have been adding app features, cards and narrative presentation.
At the time of this review, public campaign updates mentioned Sylvan Talent cards, an interactive quest map and additional animated cinematics among unlockable enhancements. These are evolving crowdfunded items: the final box and unlocked rewards should be checked against Arkada’s end-of-campaign component list.
Do not assume all previously announced stretch goals are physical expansion components. Some rewards improve the app and some affect other products or pledge levels. The campaign’s exact new scenario count and final story outcomes are subject to the creator’s updates and completed rulebook.
Do you need the Erune companion app?
Yes. Arkada explicitly states that the free companion app is a required part of Erune, not an optional ambient soundtrack. It provides voiced narration, cinematics, background music, random events and saved campaign progress.
The publisher says one device is enough for the whole table. That is convenient for groups, but it also introduces a different kind of long-term dependency than a purely physical board game. Before backing, check that the app supports your phone or tablet and that you are comfortable with a product relying on maintained software.
The app’s continued availability, platform updates and future compatibility are important ownership questions. The publisher’s FAQ explains its intention to keep adding quests, objects and features after physical boxes ship, but that should not be treated as a lifetime service guarantee.
How does Erune play?
Players explore narrative dungeons using physical boards, cards and character miniatures. They make story decisions, fight enemies, gather randomized loot and develop their heroes across linked adventures. The application manages much of the storytelling and uncertainty, reducing the need for a separate person to read every enemy and event.
Groups can play cooperatively, with the app handling the Master of Shadows role, or assign that role to a human opponent. That creates two different experiences: cooperative exploration with automated opposition or an asymmetric game with a player acting against the heroes.
The Hollow Woods expansion continues this overall framework; a detailed walkthrough of its specific new rules requires the final expansion instructions. This guide deliberately does not invent action costs, enemy effects or scenario scripts.
Gamefound pledge comparison: existing vs new players
Published November 2026 campaign reporting identifies the following levels. Prices are euros before VAT and shipping; the live Gamefound reward selection is the source of truth if packages change.
| Reward / option | Price | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Echoes of Hollow Woods add-on | €54 | Existing base-game owner wanting only the expansion |
| Into the Hollow Woods | €105 | Existing owner seeking expansion, artbook, additional cards and world map |
| Core game as add-on | €75 | Player who needs the base Erune game |
| Starter Pack | €146 | Newcomer: core game, Heroic and Hollow Woods expansions |
| All the Gameplay | €238 | Player wanting the gameplay-focused campaign selection |
| All-In | €413 | Collector wanting a broader campaign package |
The named €105 pledge includes the new expansion, Beyond Erune artbook, additional item cards for Echoes and Light & Darkness and a world map according to current coverage. Verify the complete live reward list before choosing between €54 and €105.
VAT and delivery: taxes may be added based on country, while shipping is charged later through the pledge manager. Do not compare headline prices as though they were final checkout totals.
What is Erune Ultimate Edition, and do I need it?
The Gamefound campaign provides access to a new printing of Erune, including the Ultimate Edition. Arkada says the companion app was extensively rebuilt and many cards and rulebooks were revised to improve balance and simplify play. These revisions matter when players compare the current version with original 2021-era copies.
If you own the earlier edition, you do not have to buy the full game again. The publisher offers two Update Packs: an Adventure Update Pack for the original Adventure box and a Heroic Update Pack for owners of the 2021 Heroic box, with updated cards and revised rules. English-speaking players can contact Arkada for those packs.
Arkada’s campaign FAQ says Update Packs are targeted for shipment by the end of November 2026. That schedule refers to the revised earlier-game materials, not to the Hollow Woods expansion expected in 2028.
How does Hollow Woods relate to Erune’s earlier expansions?
The Erune line already contains Heroic, Light & Darkness and Dragon Hunt content. Arkada says existing releases were delivered to backers in 2026. That history is relevant for confidence, but earlier delivery does not guarantee a new campaign will ship on time.
Echoes of Hollow Woods extends this universe with new content rather than replacing the earlier expansions. The publisher also promotes crossover material, including interactions with Light & Darkness. However, do not assume every expansion can be combined simultaneously without specific setup instructions or that the €54 add-on contains material from older boxes.
For owners, checking which edition of the base-game cards and rulebook you use is more immediately important than buying duplicates of expansions you already have.
Languages, device support and regional shipping
Arkada Studio’s official campaign FAQ confirms English and French editions, with no additional languages planned for this campaign. Italian, German, Spanish and other versions should not be described as confirmed simply because the game has an international audience.
Shipping is calculated after the crowdfunding campaign in the pledge manager. Published campaign guidance indicates UK delivery is designed to be VAT and customs friendly, but the exact final bill depends on destination and pledge.
For any order, verify your destination, the final tax handling, the language of the printed cards and availability of the required app on your chosen device before paying.
Which Erune pledge makes sense?
You already own the current base game: the €54 expansion add-on is the least expensive of the published Hollow Woods options. If the world map, artbook and extra item cards matter, compare it with the €105 Into the Hollow Woods package.
You own a first edition: check whether you need one of the updated-card packs. Buying a new game box is not necessary purely to get those changes, according to Arkada’s FAQ.
You’re new to Erune: the €146 Starter Pack bundles the base game with Heroic and Hollow Woods content. Before selecting a collector tier, decide whether you want the app-driven game in the first place; a large box of miniatures does not remove the app requirement.
You dislike long waits: estimated January 2028 backer fulfillment may be a reason to wait for a retail announcement or later reviews instead of crowdfunding now.
What should backers check before committing?
- App reliance: the app is required and should be supported on a device you own.
- Edition: identify whether you have the original or Ultimate rules and whether an Update Pack is needed.
- Contents: check whether your reward includes the base game or only the expansion.
- Extra cards: do not assume the €54 expansion add-on includes everything in the €105 reward.
- VAT and freight: budget for separately calculated taxes and shipping.
- Delivery: January 2028 is an estimate, not a guarantee.
- Language: English and French are the only campaign languages confirmed.
- Campaign risk: review the creator’s updates and fulfillment information even when funding goals have been exceeded.
Erune: Echoes of Hollow Woods FAQ
Is Echoes of Hollow Woods a standalone game?
No. It is an expansion for Erune. The campaign also sells copies of the base game for newcomers.
Do I need the Erune app?
Yes. Arkada confirms the free companion app is required, with one device sufficient for the table.
When does the Gamefound campaign end?
Its current scheduled close is 23 November 2026. Check the live campaign for any extension.
When will Echoes of Hollow Woods ship?
January 2028 is the estimated backer fulfillment window cited in November 2026 campaign reporting; a specific retail release date is not confirmed.
How much is the expansion?
€54 as a standalone add-on in the current crowdfunding campaign. The €105 Into the Hollow Woods reward adds other material.
Can you play Erune solo?
Yes. Erune supports 1–5 players and has app-driven play.
Can a player be the Master of Shadows?
Yes. A player can take that role, or the app can manage the opposition.
Is the Ultimate Edition required for an old owner?
No. Arkada offers Update Packs for original Adventure and Heroic editions instead of requiring repurchase.
Can I get an Italian version?
Not in the confirmed campaign languages. The Gamefound FAQ specifies English and French only.
Is January 2028 a guaranteed release?
No. It is a crowdfunding estimate and can move due to production and delivery circumstances.
Sources and editorial standards
Primary sources: Arkada Studio’s official Gamefound campaign and official campaign FAQ for compatibility, app requirement, update packs, fulfillment caveats and language options.
Independent contemporary cross-checks: Backseat Gamer, 8 November 2026 for reward pricing and the January 2028 estimate; Board Game Sorted, updated 8 November 2026 for launch and close dates, tax and UK delivery; Würfelreich, 9 November 2026 for component and stretch-goal context.
Fact-check date: 9 November 2026. This is an independent preview based on public creator materials, not a hands-on review of the new expansion or a promise of fulfillment. Prices, component lists and estimated shipping are subject to change. Original editorial illustration; no official Erune artwork reproduced. Editorial policy.